UFC on ESPN 3: Ngannou vs dos Santos Odds

• Francis Ngannou takes on Junior dos Santos in a no. 1 contender fight
• Demian Maia returns to the Octagon
• See the odds for the entire main card below

The Octagon heads to Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, June 29th for UFC on ESPN 3, or UFC Minneapolis. In the main event, heavyweights collide as Francis Ngannou takes on Junior dos Santos in a very intriguing bout. The co-main event sees a pivotal flyweight fight between Joseph Benavidez and Jussier Formiga.

UFC on ESPN 3 airs its entiretry on ESPN.

Francis Ngannou vs Junior dos Santos Odds

*All odds taken 06/23/19

Fight Record and Recent History

Ngannou (13-3) is coming off of a TKO win over Cain Velasquez back in February. The win extended his winning streak to two after a very tough 2018. At UFC 220, he fought for the heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic and was wrestled and dominated for the entirety of the fight.

Next, he took on Derrick Lewis, where for whatever reason Ngannou couldn’t pull the trigger and lost by decision. He then knocked out Curtis Blaydes in November to get back into the win column which set up the Velasquez fight. The 32-year-old has also beaten the likes of Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski, among others.

dos Santos (21-5) is riding a three-fight winning streak after many were writing him off after losing to Miocic at UFC 211. The former heavyweight champion beat Blagoy Ivanov, then TKO’d Tai Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis. The Brazilian has beaten the likes of Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, Ben Rothwell, Mark Hunt, and Frank Mir, among others.

Ngannou vs dos Santos Tale of the Tape

This is a really intriguing matchup and a fight that I think the odds should be much closer in. Ngannou no doubt has the power advantage and an advantage striking. But, we have seen in Ngannou’s career that if he makes it out of the first round his cardio is not there and his power starts to diminish. And, Miocic provided a gameplan on how to beat him. dos Santos will need to utilize his wrestling and jiu-jitsu skills to get this fight down to the ground.

If he can take Ngannou down, he will have a ton of success, but the Brazilian needs to avoid the power punch early on. Ultimately, I think his experience will help him do that and I really like dos Santos in this fight. I think he can pull off the upset and be fighting for the title next time out.

Pick: Junior dos Santos (+215)

Joseph Benavidez vs Jussier Formiga 2 Odds

Fight Record and Recent History

Benavidez (27-5) is riding a two-fight winning streak after TKO’ing Alex Perez and then beating Dustin Ortiz by decision. Benavidez has always been one of the best flyweights, but the title is something he has yet to win.

Although the future of the division is up in the air, this is considered to be a no. 1 contender fight, and the 34-year-old has a win over current champion, Henry Cejudo. He has also beaten the likes of John Moraga, Tim Elliott, Jussier Formiga, and Eddie Wineland, among others.

Formiga (23-5) had a very impressive showing at UFC Nashville where he gave Deiveson Figueiredo his first loss as he beat him by decision. The win extended his winning streak to four that includes wins over Sergio Pettis, Ben Nguyen, and Ulka Sasaki. The Brazilian also has wins over the likes of Dustin Ortiz, Wilson Reis, and Alexandre Pantoja, among others.

Benavidez vs Formiga Tale of the Tape

This is a rematch that makes a ton of sense. With the flyweight division having barely double-digit fighters, these two are the clear cut top contenders. With a win here, the winner should get a title shot, but whether they will is a question that no one knows.

In the first fight, Benavidez had a ton of success and actually, TKO’d Formiga. The Brazilian has since taken his game to the next level and has looked better and better every fight. He showed all his skills against Figueiredo where he dominated the fight. I think Benavidez is too good and will win this fight by decision. Although I am picking the American, I believe it will be a close fight.

Pick: Joseph Benavidez (-180)

The Rest of UFC on ESPN 3 Main Card